The Portland daily press., 1887-02-22
CITY covERNM ENT.
Special Meeting OF the City Council
Last Evening.
Remonstrance to Proposed LegIsia-
ton Relating to the Ferry Landing.

A special meeting of the City Council was
held last evening to take action in relation
to proposed legislation upon the laying out
of the ferry landing.
In Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
Mayor Chapman presided. Present, AL
dermen Beale, Wilson, Kicker, Mcmahon.
Marks and Briggs.
THE FERRY LANDING.
The following paper was read by the May
or and given a unanimous passage:
Whereas, under the act of the Legislature
of the State, approved February g. 1873, and
contained in chapter 375 of the private and
special laws for that year, public highway
has been located into the tide waters of the
city of Portland by committee appointed
by the Supreme Judicial Court, on appeal
from the commissioners of this county;
And, whereas, the location of said high
way was resisted by counsel for the city at
the hearing before the County Commission
ers and at the hearing before the committee,
and also upon exceptions to the acceptance
Of the report of the committee before the
Law Court at the July term, 1856:
And, whereas, by the statute under which
said highway was located, all damages to
private property by reason Of said location
were to be paid by the County Of Cumber-
land, but petitions have now been presented
to the Legislature asking that the law may
be paid by the city OF Portland; therefore,
Ordered, that our Senator and Representa-
tives be requested to use their influence
against the proposed legislation as in the
highest degree negotiable, unwarranted and
injurious to the rights OF the City of Port
land, and to urge upon the attention of the
Legislature the fact that the city has, from
the first, resisted the location of this high
way that the commissioners of the county
decided against cit, and that the committee
which decided in favor nf fha location did ca
under the law then and now existing by
which the damages caused to private property
by such location were to be paid by the
county and that there has never been any
adjudication even by the committee, that
such highway ought to be located under a
provision of law such as is proposed requir-
ing the City OF Portland alone to pay the
land damages.
The proposed location is over pier ex-
tending to a considerable distance into tide
waters, and the damages to private property
viii be larger than is usual in the location of
highways, and ii is peculiarly case where,
II the way is to be located, the damages
should be paid by the county, according to
the general rule, rather than by any single
town or city. But if, in any event, the Leg
islature should decide to change the law so
as to make the damages upon the location
payab BILE by the city instead of the county, it
is respectfully submitted that care should be
taken so to frame the new law that the
judgment heretofore rendered in favor,of
the location shall be of no effect; and that
the city may have an opportunity to be
heard before the County Commissioners and
before committee, if necessary, upon the
question whether such highway ought to
be located under provisions Of the law which
require, not only the building and mainte-
nance Ofthe highway and ferry landing by
the city, put also the payment by the city
alone OF the damages to private property
caused by the original location of the high
way.
OTHER BUSINESS.
petition was received from the Horse
Railroad Company by II. ]. Libby, its presi-
dent, for authority to extend its tracks from
the present terminus at the Congress street
station through Congress street to the city
line. A hearing was ordered upon the petit
ton to be held at the regular March meeting
of the Board.
The committee on new wooden buildings
reported that they had granted permits to
the following persons: Samuel w. Joy, for
dwelling house, Tinkham's Court; j. II.
Wolf, synagogue, rear 70 Middle street;
Geo. ii. Staples, stable, rear 46 Stone
street
The Board then adjourned.
In Common Council.
President Hobbs presided. Absent: Coun-
cilmen Rumery, Parker, Williamson, Cox
and Spring. The paper in reference to the
ferry landing was passed in concurrence,
and the Board adjourned.